1 year Home and 2 years old!

It is so hard to believe we were in Ethiopia 1 year ago bringing Aven home. It seems like yesterday.....but then again it seems like she has almost always been a part of our family. We cant imagine life without her! One year later, her brothers still ADORE her. They still act like she came home yesterday. They cant wait for her to wake up in the morning! They still run to her room to tell her good morning!

On her birthday, I cant help but wonder if the woman that gave birth to her is thinking about her. I cant help but wish that she knew how loved and happy Aven is. I continue to pray that the Lord would give her a peace and that she would somehow feel that Aven is ok. We can't begin to guess the circumstances that surrounded her giving Aven up.  I was not present at Aven's birth and didnt even see her face to face until she was 7 months old, so in all honesty I don't feel sentimental about her birthday. Her birthday just makes me wonder about alot of things....things that will never be answered. It's hard not to think of those things on her birthday. BUT I realized this year, that although the 2 months of delays waiting for her to come home were tough, the Lord gave me a gift in that......She came home just a few days before her birthday and I am extremely sentimental about that! I watched our adoption video several times and went through all of the pictures taken at the airport and her first few days home. We do alot of celebrating around her birthday between Gotcha day, the day we became a forever family, and the day of her birth. 

A little about Aven....

She is finally opening up to other people. I would say just in the past 2 months has she gotten to the point where she willingly goes to some of our friends. She has been great with our families, but is finally loving some of our friends too! 

She is an amazing sleeper! She loves her crib and never makes a peep at night or nap time. And this has been every single night and day since day one! It's crazy. She has blessed us in that department!

She is very determined!

She is finally starting to put some words together. 2 or 3 at the most. 

She is struggling in the teeth department! She has all of 9 teeth. 2 on the top, 3 on the bottom, and 4 molars. 

She loves to sing! Although she doesnt say alot of words, she can sing all of the words to Jesus Loves Me! 

She is finally starting to show some interest in girl toys, although she prefers to follow her brothers around and play what they play:)

We are so blessed by this girl! She is a constant reminder of God's love to us!